


Krogan 101

by xenowriter



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-06
Updated: 2017-12-06
Packaged: 2019-02-11 11:42:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12934542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xenowriter/pseuds/xenowriter
Summary: Jane Shepard learns that Grunt did not receive all his training in order to work with her on her team. Now she must seek the help of an old friend.





	Krogan 101

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Cmdrklassen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cmdrklassen/gifts).



KROGAN 101

 

The chime at her door made Jane Shepard lift her head up from her datapad that night. So much for having a quiet time to herself. “Come in.”

Kelly’s recognizable face peeped in with a glowing smile. “Good evening, Commander. I hope I’m not interrupting anything.”

Jane nonchalantly tossed the pad on her nightstand as she rose from her bed’s edge. “No. Just trying to unwind before we reach our destination. What’s up, Kelly?”

The cheery red head straightened her posture and held her own datapad against her chest as she walked in. “I finished my psych profile on Grunt.” Her words came out flatly. 

Jane picked up on the tone. “Something the matter with him?” She already had grief from Miranda and Jacob about how unwise it was to birth him, but maybe he was the diamond in the rough. Warlord Okeer was killed before she could get back to the lab. Okeer was the choice by the Illusive Man, but she saw potential in the tank bred.

“He’s not in active status. I’m sorry,” Kelly sighed hard. “I have to input that into the system so it’s on the log.” 

The statement sparked even more confusion for green eyed commander. She tilted her head. “Why not?”

Kelly fumbled nervously with her fingers. “I tried to ask him a series of questions per my protocol. He declined to answer them. Though, he said that he wasn’t fit for duty.”

“Is he sick?” That’s all Shepard needed on the Normandy. Another ill alien.

Kelly relaxed a bit as she shook her head. The burden of bearing the bad news was lifting slowly off her shoulders. “That’s what I thought too and I recommended him to see Dr. Chakwas for a medical examination. He, uh, respectfully declined that too. I don’t know what else to do. Grunt specifically requested to speak with you again, Commander.”

Jane sighed as she took a glance over at her digital clock on her nightstand. So much for calling it an early night. Defeated, she stood up. “Alright. I’ll go see what’s going on with him.”

******************************  
The ship’s halls remained quiet as the skeleton crew staffed their stations. Everyone else was nestled comfortably in their bunks for a few peaceful hours of rest. Jane, on the other hand, wasn’t granted that opportunity. Instead she found herself walking down the hall to the area of the ship that she designated Grunt for. She found the krogan pacing back and forth in the small storage area. The reptilian creature stopped and glanced her way with a sideways glance. “Shepard.”

“The yeomen stated you wanted to see me, Grunt.” Jane prayed silently that this would be a quick affair.

Grunt paused and then shook his head. “I…have to ask of something…ugh. Krogan are not supposed to ask! I feel weak, Shepard!” His voice became heated with the latter statement. 

Jane held up her hands. “Calm down, Grunt. I really don’t need an excited krogan on my ship right now.” She took an uneasy glance back at the closed door that she entered through. 

“Okeer failed to provide me with everything I need to know…” Grunt paced some more as his mind grasped for the words. “I need more…I’m weak! Krogan cannot be weak, Shepard!” His voice rose again with emotion.

Becoming irritated by the fear of alarm to her crew, Jane stomped over and grabbed his arm roughly to make him stop moving. “Grunt, quick side-stepping around it and just tell me. I do not have all night.” She restrained herself from upsetting him any further. She was unarmed and provoking an already distressed krogan was probably not smart. She hoped EDI wouldn’t pipe in to give her opinion on how to handle the situation. 

“I’m pure krogan. That’s what he created me to be.” A beat. “I didn’t receive the training to fight. I’m weak…. useless.”

Jane blinked and she loosened her grip on his arm. “One of the other tankbreds that I encountered in the fight with the Suns indicated that Okeer used vids and implants for your training.”

“Vids can’t help you fight, Shepard. I need…”

“Experience.” Shepard finished the sentence. “There’s no use to have a krogan on my ship that cannot fight.” She could feel him tensing up. “But I think I know someone who can help me with it.”

The krogan version of a large armored vehicle came to a grinding halt somewhere on Tuchanka. Jane was there for the ride and her pilot was her friend, Urdnot Wrex, leader of Clan Urdnot and the dominant force on Tuchanka. Grunt shot a quick look her way and then focused his attention back on the older kin in front of him. “This is place.” Wrex was the first to exit with his shotgun in his right hand. Jane followed him and Grunt proceeded last. Jane shielded her eyes from the strong glare of the sun with her arm and hoped that it would block any sand particles that blew from the strong winds. Her idea of training with Wrex did not include dragging her out to the middle of nowhere in Tuchanka. “You sure this spot will do?” Her voice barely peaked over the gust.

“You wanted somewhere private, Shepard,” Wrex reminded her. “We won’t be disturbed here.”

Grunt casually scanned the area with his eyes. “What’s so special about this place? Our enemies could find us here.”

“You will always have enemies on Tuchanka until the rival clans heed, whelp. Only the fiercest of warriors would venture out here alone.”

It only took Jane a nanosecond to digest that. “What are you saying, Wrex?” She could feel the hair on the back of her neck prickling.

Wrex chortled. “We are in maw country. What better place to train and get the blood pumping than here?” 

Grunt let out a loud cheer and pounded his fist into his palm. “Bring it on!”

Shepard silently blamed herself for agreeing to going out with two male krogan even in the first place. Her mind flashed back to when she was assisting Rear Admiral Kohaku and her entanglement with Cerberus. She came across a thresher maw while driving the Mako. Luckily for her, she was encased with some protection and had a cannon to fight back with. “I said easy targets, Wrex!” She fumed. What in the hell did she get herself into?

“This is coming from the person who already came back from the dead?” Wrex countered playfully.

“You promised me that my enemies will be fierce and strong, Shepard,” Grunt reminded her of her deal with him when she took him out of the glass case. 

Jane bit her lip to give a rebuttal. Pointedly, she could say that the alternative would be to listen to Miranda and Jacob and either blast him out of the airlock or turn him over to Cerberus for further analysis. Either way, the alternative would not be pleasant for him.

“Good boy.” Wrex nodded his head in approval to Grunt’s statement and motioned with his head for them to follow him down the hill to the flatter part of the area. “I’ve heard rumors of a Blood Pack hideout not far from here. Grunt can take out a few there.”

Jane listened as best as she could from the howling wind. “I saw a recruiter at the landing spot when I arrived, Wrex. Are they not allowed here?” 

“The Blood Pack is no friend of Clan Urdnot, but other ally clans support them…for now. My brother, Wreave, insists that we do business with them. Stupid pyjak.” Wrex shook his head. “They can recruit, but they are collecting territory too close for comfort. I was going to have one of my scouts come out, but I couldn’t find one with a quad.”

“Let me guess…the maw?” Jane tossed the obvious out there. Krogan were a brave race, but they were not stupid. 

Wrex stopped and turned to look back at them. “It’s just one. A male. If you really want a fight, we should have went to the female territory or even a nest.”

“When do we fight? I need to shoot something,” Grunt growled impatiently as he shifted his body where he stood. 

Wrex pointed to an old worn down base that was about a half mile away. “They may be in there. No better way than to flush them out. I just don’t know how many we may come across.”

“Let me go first. I’ll draw them out!” Grunt clenched his fists as he looked off in the direction that Wrex pointed.

Shepard took out a Claymore shotgun from her weapons that she carried and handed it to the young krogan. “Think you can handle this?”

Grunt examined the weapon and armed it. “I’m ready.”

The older krogan made a face. “You never gave me a gun before, Shepard?” He almost sounded genuinely hurt.

“You already had one.” Jane smirked back.

Wrex motioned Grunt to follow him closer to the base. “The shotgun is for close combat. Don’t go firing it off like a salarian. Charge in there and when the shotgun fails you, let the good old fashion blood rage do the rest.” 

Grunt nodded his head and took off in a run towards his target. Jane watched on. “You think this is wise?”

“Hmm? They may think one single krogan won’t be a big deal.” Wrex took off running with Jane by his side as they came behind Grunt.

“Yes, but won’t all the commotion spark the maw’s interest?” Jane hollered as she took out her assault rifle.

“Hope so.” Wrex gave her another playful grin as he brandished his own shotgun and began to draw dark energy from his biotic implant. 

Up ahead, the Blood Pack became alert to their visitors and three armed Vorcha came pouring out. Their snarls and chatters could be heard in the distance. Grunt was on them within seconds. He quickly fired the shotgun and took one by the surprise with a blast to its center shield and then used the butt of the gun as a club to strike the next closest one in the head. The third one turned on him, but Wrex’s yell caught his attention away. The fanged alien now set its sights on he and Jane and fired a round that pinged off her kinetic shields. 

Wrex let out a growl as he used lift to pick up the Vorcha and threw him into the building’s side with a sickening crack with his biotics. Grunt roared as he continuously swung the shotgun like a club and nailed his Vorcha in the abdomen and head. The impact knocked it down with teeth flying from the strike. The first Vorcha ran to help his comrade and grabbed at the attacking krogan’s shoulder. Jane and Wrex stopped and looked on. They were ready if her squadmate needed help. Grunt snapped his head to look at his would-be attacker, grabbing his wrist tightly with one swift motion. He roared again at him and then swung the Vorcha to the side, breaking his wrist. Grunt then flipped the shotgun’s barrel back to the right position and opened fire. The point-blank range blast ripped through the Vorcha’s shields entirely and tore open his flesh. Blood splattered up on Grunt as his foe’s limp body collapsed with the gruesome sound of its final breath. The first injured Vorcha whimpered and spat blood from its missing teeth. Grunt turned on him and opened the fire the same way. 

No other Blood Pack members came from the facility and Grunt pivoted on his heel to look back at Wrex and Jane. His face splattered with Vorcha blood, his chest heaved from the adrenaline of battle. The Urdnot Clan leader gave a nod of approval. “I think Shepard already rubbed off on you.” He teased his former commanding officer.

Jane crossed her arms as she nudged her friend. “Nobody but the best.”

“This it?” Grunt almost sounded disappointed as he turned his attention back on the facility, then ran ahead.

Jane sighed. “After you, Wrex?”

“Shepard.”


End file.
